Wingstop

Wingstop prides itself on being a family-oriented restaurant where customers can step to the counter and order a tasty, fresh meal. "If you're looking for something for your family that's affordable, Wingstop is a great choice," said Southern California Wingstop representative Michelle Victorian.

Most important, of course, they do chicken wings. Boneless white-meat strips too. Boneless wings and gliders are also on the menu. You'll find 10 flavors of sauces and rubs. Wingstop recently introduced Louisiana Rub, which is gaining popularity. But the best-selling flavor still is Lemon Pepper. "You're not going to go anywhere in Southern California and find a lemon pepper sauce like ours," said Victorian. "We capture the zest of the lemon with our wings."

You also can get a Glider (chicken slider) Sandwich or a bottled beer. And many people come specifically for the fries. "Our fries come into the restaurant as a potato," Victorian said. "We hand cut them every day and use a proprietary seasoning that makes them exceptional."

Claim to fame: Freshness. Wingstop cooks its wings to order, Victorian said. Not frozen. No heat lamps. The rolls and dressings are made on site. When you dip your wings or fries, you can taste the chunks of real blue cheese. Founded in Dallas in 1994, Wingstop said it has sold more than two billion wings since then. Former Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman is the chain's national spokesman.

Did you know? The spiciest sauce is Atomic, made with habanero pepper. It's for the few, the proud. "The Atomic is like 10 times hotter than our Cajun," Victorian said. "A lot of people love it. But we insist you try it before you order it. Ninety percent of people thank us for letting them try it -- but choose something else. ... It's hotter than you think."